Stuck With You
by WritingRamblingRavenclaw
Summary: Lily Evans is stuck outside for the night with James Potter, her least favorite person on the planet. But after a game of Truth, an almostkiss, and a ride on his broom, will she still hate him? Did she ever hate him to begin with? JL[oneshot]


**Disclaimer- Just another JK wannabe who does NOT OWN ANYTHING…**

**A/N: Okay, I know I'm not the biggest J/L freak- I'm much more into alternative pairings, but I do enjoy reading J/L fics, particularly one-shots, which is what this is. It was in my head- I just **_**had **_**to write it. ENJOY 3 and review!**

**STUCK WITH YOU**

**---**

I cannot believe my awful, awful, AWFUL luck- I am stuck outside of the school. There's no way in- no charm will work, no walls are climbable, no people are awake to listen when I pound on the door in half-worry, half-fury. It looks like I'm out her- _outside, _in _November_- for the night. This would probably suck a _little _less if it weren't for who I was stuck WITH- the big headed, obnoxious, arrogant head boy, who feels the need to ask me out every five minutes. Yes, unfortunately, I _am _talking about James Potter.

How, you ask, did I manage to get locked out of the castle at night with one of my least favorite people in the world? Well, as I said before- my extremely bad luck. See, Potter and I were patrolling, and he had just asked my out- _again- _and I was sort of screaming at him, so I was a bit distracted, and- _don't laugh- _I sort of tripped and fell off of a balcony. Yeah. I know. _Hilarious. _

But why, then, am I trapped out here with _him? _Surely _he _didn't jump down after me? Well, let me tell you- he didn't. Actually, he was holding onto my waist when I fell, which was partially why I tripped- over _HIS _foot.

So, I didn't fall alone- he fell with me. And, thank God, it was only a first floor window. The fall wasn't too bad. The landing, however, was extremely unpleasant. See, James hadn't exactly released his hold on my waist during our fall, so he fell- once again, _please _don't laugh- on top of me.

I mean, _really. _It wasn't exactly painful, or anything- he's not all that heavy- but it was pretty uncomfortable.

Especially since our faces were about two inches apart, and he kind of grinned and said, "Hi, Evans." _Especially _since that insolate, pranking, obnoxious miscreant had the _audacity _to try and kiss me!

Honestly, as if I hadn't _just _refused to go to Hogsmeade with him- what makes him think he's allowed to kiss me? Luckily, I was able to pry his hands off of me-_finally- _and sit up, breathing hard.

Potter stood up in a moment, looking unhappy. Oh, boo hoo. I didn't want to snog him Really, I thought that after refusing his frequent date offers for the past four years, that might have sunk in by now. It shouldn't come as _such _a shock.

Anyway, Potter is currently sulking, and has been for the past half an hour. Finally, he speaks.

"Right, well, I s'pose we'd better get back into the castle."

I glare at him disdainfully for a moment.

"What!" he cried, "God, don't _look _at me like that."

I sigh, and decide that I should probably explain the situation, using very small words, so that The Idiot will have a chance of understanding.

"We can't get back to the castle," I inform him sadly.

"What?" He frowns, looking quite confused as usual. "Of course we can."

I groaned, "No, Potter, we really can't. The door is sealed."

Potter laughs, shaking his head at me. "Don't be stupid, Lily." Oh, god. Did The Idiot just call me stupid? Well, than. Fine. Let him figure out on his own that he's stuck out her all night.

He then waltzes up to the castle door and confidently says, "Alohamora." He looks very irritated and even more confused when this doesn't work, and then repeats the incantation, louder this time.

"ALOHAMORA!" He bellows.

After he repeats the spell several times, I begin to lose my patience. "Potter!" I snap angrily, "It won't work! The door is _enchanted! _And I hate to break it to you, but it will not stop being enchanted, no matter how _loudly _you are able to try and open it!"

Potter frowns, looking at the door. "Right." He appears to be thinking- I hope he doesn't hurt himself-and finally says, "Well, okay. I know we aren't really supposed to apparate, but you know how, don't you?"

I look at him and roll my eyes. "Haven't you ever bothered to read _Hogwarts, A History_?"

"Course not- why would I ever read that dreadful, gigantic book?"

"So that you could figure out that no one can apparate or disapparate on Hogwarts grounds." I smirk.

"Okay." James kicked the dirt. "We could climb a wall."

"Bewitched," I mutter, "We'd just fly off."

"We could knock- a Professor could come for us."

"It's one in the morning, Potter. I highly doubt that Professor McGonagall and Professor Slughorn are awake, dancing the night away."

"We could fly in!"

I laugh. "I don't fly. And besides, the window is enchanted."

James pauses for a minute. I guess he's out of ideas. We sit in silence for a while, until he says, "So I guess we're stuck."

I nod grimly. "I guess we're stuck."

---

We don't do anything at first, which is okay with me. It's not as if I _want _to talk to Potter. Much, anyway. Finally, though, he opens his mouth.

"So, what do you wanna do?" he asks casually, as if we were strolling around Hogsmeade on a Saturday, rather than stranded outside in the middle of the night in dead winter.

WHAT DO I WANT TO DO? I WANT TO GO BACK TO THE CASTLE AND SLEEP! THAT'S WHAT I WANT TO DO!

I don't say that, though. I don't say anything, for a while. Instead I blink at him, which is what I usually do when confused. Then, once I have tired out my eyelids enough, I'm able to mutter, "Excuse me?"

"Well," James starts, "If there's _no way _back into the castle- well, I mean, it's one in the morning- on a _Friday _night- we've got six or seven hours before anyone wakes up. I just sort of figured we'd do something. But, if you'd prefer, I s'pose we could sit here. In the dark. Doing nothing. All night long…"

I pause before I say anything. He sort of has a point, for once. "I am not snogging you." I say loudly, just to make sure that that wasn't what he meant by 'doing something'.

He only looks disappointed for a split second this time. "Yeah, I sort of figured that out earlier," he mutters, then, louder, he says, "I don't suppose you'd fancy a walk around campus?"

Much to his surprise- and my own, I nod. Yes, a walk around campus sounds quite nice, actually.

"_Really_?" He gasps, raising his eyebrows. "No begging, no pleading, no clever enchantments- you're just going to come?" with his mouth wide open, he looks as thought Christmas has come early.

"You're going to catch flies, with your mouth like that." I sigh.

"_Flies_?" he wonders out loud, "How do you mean? Fairies? Doxies?"

I shake my head, "Old, muggle expression-sorry…"

"Ah." James nods, leading the way.

"Where exactly are we going?" I ask nervously, after a few minutes of walking.

"It's a surprise, Lily." He grins.

_Lily_? When did I say he could call me _Lily_? Never! Never ever ever! Honestly- today it's my first name; tomorrow it'll be terms of endearment- _Lilykins, flower, Lils… _

I sigh, irritated. "I _hate _surprises."

He grins again; that stupid goofy grin of his that always makes me feel like the joke is on me. "I thought you might. You come off as a right control freak, Lily."

I start to say something in protest, but I can't. I _do _hate surprises, and I _am _a control freak.

"You seem to know me pretty well, Potter, but I don't really know _anything _about you." I say. "I don't think that's quite fair."

He is silent for a long time, and surprisingly I don't like it. Since I hate awkward silences but am completely useless at mending them, we just walk around in absolute quiet, until he says, "We're here."

'Here' is a large pile of rocks, easy enough to climb, but very high up. At the top are a little stream and a perfectly smooth surface, with a small grassy patch on which flowers are growing. _Lilies_. I can tell that from up there I would find a perfect view of both the castle and the stars.

I look up at it, breathless. "It's beautiful," I whisper.

James slowly releases that same stupid grin, but somehow it doesn't seem quite so menacing anymore. Obviously, he's thrilled that I actually like this particular surprise. "Wait until you see the view."

---

The view is spectacular. I can see everything; the castle, all of the grounds, the sparkling stars, and the wide, almost full moon. For the fifth time tonight, we are awkwardly silent. James, once again, breaks this silence, saying,

"Hey, d'you wanna play a game?" he asks.

I look at him, amused. "Do you happen to have one in your pocket? Gobstones, maybe? Exploding Snap? Wizard's chess?"

"Well, no," James says slowly, "But see-okay, don't get mad-In Muggle Studies, they told us that muggles play games with nothing but words, and you know Sirius thought it was a bit fun- how easily entertained muggles are- but I thought it was sort of cool. Actually, I'd kind of like to know how to play one. And you know who the teacher says in an expert on those games? Muggle girls."

I blush for a minute, and nod slowly.

"Well," James says, "I mean, I know you aren't a muggle girl, but you used to be- you used to think you were, anyway. So… could you teach me?"

He looks so hopeful- somehow; I really don't want to let him down. I think back to my slumber party days- I'd had many, when I was a little girl. Looking back, I laugh.

"What?" James asks eagerly.

"They're…" I laugh. "They're girl games."

"So?" James sighs, "There's no way that a guy could play any of them?"

"Well…" I hesitate, "Okay. There is… Truth."

---

"How d'you play?" he grins happily.

"Um- okay- if I remember correctly, Truth is a game where you cannot lie."

"Thank you, Lily. I could have never worked that much out on my own."

I roll my eyes. Is he _mocking _me? "Anyway," I growl, "you go back and forth, asking and answering questions, and you have to tell the truth."

James nods, "But how do you _know _I'm telling the truth?"

I pause for a minute. "It's a trust thing."

His face lights up. "You _trust _me?"

"It's a _game, _Potter. I don't see why I shouldn't."

"Okay, then." He smiles, "How do you win?"

I pause, racking my brain. Finally, I come up with the answer. "Truth only ends when your opponent refuses to answer a question and you answer their next question. Then you win."

"Sounds easy enough," James smiles, "So, I get to ask you anything, and you _have _to answer?" A mischievous glint lit up in his bright hazel eyes.

I groan, knowing that I'll regret this later. "Anything."

---

"You go first, James."

"What sort of questions did you usually have to answer?" He asks curiously.

I blush, having flashbacks of my friends all forcing me to answer embarrassing questions, the annoying pressure of it all… "Mostly just… Silly stuff. 'Who do you fancy', that sort of thing." I eye him suspiciously for a moment, but he just smiles.

"Don't worry, I'm much more original than that." He assures me. "Your turn."

"Uh… What's your favorite color?" I ask, starting with the silly, insignificant things as usual.

James considers this for a moment. "Green. Not dark, you know, Slytherin green. Deep, bright, vivid green, like emeralds. It's the most incredible color I've ever seen, but it can only be found in one place."

I look at him for a moment, smiling slightly. "Where's that?"

He doesn't answer me. Instead, he says, "It's my question." He seems to be pondering on what he should ask.

"When's the first time you ever did magic?"

I pause, looking back at my childhood again. "I was seven," I begin, slowly. "And, my mom an I were in a store, a toy store. I found this doll, and I fell in love with it. It wasn't a holiday, though, or my birthday, so my mom wouldn't by it. So I more or less gave up on it, but then, we were buying our things, and there it was, sitting on the counter. Mom was a bit annoyed- she thought it I'd put it here- and in a way, I did. She bought it anyway, though." I smile.

James nods. "Your turn."

I decide to ask him something that I'm not all that curious about, but that my friends would want to know for sure.

"How many girls have you gone with?"

James laughs, but it's not his normal laugh. He sounds… almost _nervous. _"Gone with… like, _steadily_?"

I nod, smiling. "Yep. Every single one."

"Er- two." He muttered.

"_What?_" I yell, my eyes widening.

"Honestly, Lily, what did you think?"

"Eight-ten-twenty, maybe?" I admit weakly.

"_Twenty_, Lily? Really, _twenty_?"

I nod. "So. Why did you break things off with these… _two_… girls?"

"Hang on- it's my question!"

I shake my head cheerfully. "Nope. You _asked_ how many girls I'd thought you'd gone out with, and I _answered _you… therefore, my turn." James looks indignant, but doesn't argue. Instead, he says,

"Well, the first one was a bit of an idiot… Hufflepuff, you see, and the second- well- er, she broke up with me, actually."

"Why?" I frown. I mean, if _I _had been going out with him, I probably would have broken up with him too, but most girls seem to worship the ground that James Potter walks on.

To my great supplies, he goes a bit… _red? _Is he _blushing_? No, there's no way. It's dark… Potter, _blush… _that's ridiculous.

"I er- I- I- I sort of," he frowns, stammering and stuttering like mad. "I sort of called her… someone else by accident."

"Were you cheating on her?" I ask, eyebrows raised.

"That's another question, but no, actually… I called her… Lily." He mumbled, becoming especially quiet on the last word.

What? Oh, great, so now _I'm _wrecking Potter's love life- no wonder he's been harassing me more than usual lately.

"Your turn." I mutter.

"How many guys have _you _gone with?'

I blush. Oh, no… I've really got it coming, haven't I? "Four." I mumble.

"FOUR! HA!" He exclaims, "And I bet you thought I was a total player, didn't you?" he laughs.

We are quiet for a minute. For the first time, _I _break the silence.

"What was her name?"

He looks confused, so I elaborate a little.

"Was it at least _close? _Was it… I don't know, Liz? Lila? Daisy? Had you been dating her for like, a week, or something?"

He is quiet for a moment, and then, looking embarrassed, finally mutters, "Sarah."

"Sarah?" I yell, "Jesus, Potter, how in the bloody hell do you mix up _Lily _and _Sarah_?"

He mumbles incoherently, and the comses another awkward silence. He breaks this one, though, as usual.

"Lily, have you ever been in love?"

I look up at him, startled, "Never." I pause, and then, because I'm genuinely curious, I ask, "have you?"

"Once," he smiles. I can tell that whoever this girl is, he's thinking about her. "Have you ever thought about being in love?"  
"Not really." I admit, softly, "What do you want to be after Hogwarts?"

"An Auror," he says, taking me by surprise.

"Not a professional Quidditch star?"

"_No._" he sighs, I can tell that whatever he's about to ask, it's been weighing heavily on his mind. "Why wouldn't you let me kiss you earlier?"

"I didn't want you too." I snap, "Why, what do you think?"

"That you're scared. That you are totally, completely, insanely scared- because, being with me- that could get messy. Too emotional, too much- just… scary. Am I right, Lily? Are you scared?"

How dare he? I look at him straight in the eye and say, rather coldly, "I am not afraid of you."

"That's not what I asked," James says, "But that's okay, I suppose. Your question."

"Why do you have to be persistent and annoying?" I snap irritably.

"Because I know what I want. Why are _you _so cold and stubborn?"

"Because I know what I don't." I retort, just as he expected me to, but even as I say the words, I wonder if they aer true. Do I really, honestly, _know _that I don't want James Potter? _Don't be silly, Lily, _I tell myself firmly, _of course you don't._

"Your question?" he says quietly.

I decide that the time is right for me to ask him the question that's been on my mind the whole time- the question that I've always wanted answers.

"Why do you want me for, anyway?"

James doesn't answer right away, just sort of opens his mouth to speak and then quickly closes it, as if thinking better of his answer.

When he speaks, he does it slowly. "I want you because you are beautiful. Please don't call me shallow- I don't mean just physically. Obviously, I find you extremely attractive, but that's- that's like, the least of it. What I really love about you is that you're such an incredible person. I mean, you're so smart, you know, you seem to know everything, but you never show off about it. You'd never brag about anything. And also, you're honest. You say what you mean, even if it's a little harsh. You'd never hurt anyone on purpose, though-not even me. Everything about you is so warm…sincere. Like, you only smile if you mean it. That's why I'm so thrilled if I can just get you to smile at me a little bit. It's because I know you don't do pity smiles; throw away smiles- I have to earn it. What I really love about you is that you push me. It's not enough to be good looking and clever and good at Quidditch- I know you'd never want me unless… unless I could be a better person. You make me good, Lily-you bring out the best in me, and you never even try. I said before that I'd be lying if I told you that I didn't like you for your appearance, too- but I saved that for last, Lily, because I wanted you to know that other things are much, much more important to me. I do love your hair, though- how it's curly and wild, and more brilliantly red than anything I've ever seen. I love your smile and that little dimple on the one side of your face. I love your freckles. Most of all, though, I love your eyes. They are the most incredible thing I've ever seen- that's what I meant when I said that I'd only seen my favorite color in one place- your eyes. So, there you have it, Lily. That's why I want you. Well, there's more, actually, I could write several books on the topic. But, in a nutshell, that's it. Well-okay, there's… there's one more thing, maybe most important of all. More than anything, I want you for the feeling that I get, whenever I even look at you. My stomach starts to fly around, and I go all light headed and I sort of hate it, but I also love it at the same time. I felt that the first time I ever saw you, and every time since. So there you are, Lil. That's why."

I am stunned- and no, I don't mean that Potter jinxed me immediately after his little confession. I have no words. I'm speechless. Who would've thought that James liked me for anything but-you know what I mean. But no, even the physical stuff he likes about me isn't stupid or shallow. I clear my throat and somehow manage to whisper, "Your question."

James nods, and says, "A counter question. Why _don't _you want me?"

I don't say a word. Now, why would he go and ask me something like that? I thought that he was _so sure _that I did want him- but apparently I'm 'scared'. Still, I don't answer.

_Why_? A little voice inside my head whispers.

Because I don't want to!

_Because you can't._

Oh God. I can't. I really, really _can't _tell James why I don't want him, because- oh no. This could be problematic.

I slowly lift my eyes, meeting his bright hazel gaze, and I whisper, "I can't answer that."

He looks very surprised. "So…I win, then?"

I shake my head. "I have to ask you another question first."

"Okay. Shoot."

I shake my head again. "Not yet."

James nods, then stands up, offering me his hand. To my surprise-and probably his- I take it and we walk down back to the ground. Then we walk sown towards a field. Ah. Predictably, it's the Quidditch Pitch.

I smile at James, because, as he would say, he's earned one tonight.

"Lily?" he asks hesitantly, "I don't suppose you'd want to er- to have a ride on my broom? With me?" he's so nervous. I've never seen this side of him. Slowly, as if I'm not sure what I'm doing, I nod.

He raises his eyebrows at me. I think I've managed to surprise him quite a lot this evening.

"Accio Broom!" he says, loudly summoning his Shooting Star broomstick, his prize possession. "Now, Miss Lily, if I remember correctly from first year flying lessons, broomsticks aren't exactly your friends?"

I glare at him for a moment, but I nod.

"Right, then, I'm going to get on front, and- all right, I s'pose you'll find this a bit repulsive, since I seem to recall you once saying 'I wouldn't touch you if it was a choice between you and the Giant Squid', but you'll need to hold on to me, okay? Sorry- I know it's torture and everything, but it's only"

I sigh, cutting him off, "I'll survive." So he gets on, and, like I promised, I wrap my arms around him, and despite his rather self-conscious speech, I don't find it repulsive at all.

And then he kicks off, and we're flying- soaring around in the air, and I suddenly realize what the big deal is about Quidditch. It's like you're nothing- weightless- soaring through the air, but it's not scary, just thrilling. As James flies faster, I hold on more tightly, and I think that makes him happy, because he keeps flying faster and faster until we've fallen off and landed in the same position as before. Only this time, _I'm _on top.

"This seems a bit familiar." I murmur softly, looking into his yes, his beautiful hazel eyes.

"Hey,Lily?"

"Hmm?"

"Why didn't you just answer me?" He laughs, I can feel it, and it causes us to vibrate. "I mean, usually you jump at the chance to point out everything that's wrong with me."

I look at him, and before I can change my mind, I begin to explain. "You asked me… why I didn't want you. Before tonight, I would have given you a very lengthy response to that question, but tonight- before- it's not that I didn't want to answer. I really couldn't. Because… I've realized," I take a deep breath. "Okay, please don't have a gloating fit and go on and brag to all your mates- don't say I told you so. Or I'll just keep this to myself."

He nods.

"Promise?" I ask suspiciously.

"I promise." He says, laughing again.

"I realized that I couldn't tell you why I don't want you," I breath slowly, "Because I do."

I look at him and you know what? I have never ever seen anyone so happy. Except, perhaps, my own face at this moment, reflected in his hazel pools.

"So," I say. "Here's your last question. James?"

"Lily?" he replies, and I smile at him, about to ask the question I thought I would never ask in a million years.

"James, would you go out with me?"

And, at that moment, he picks me up and spins me around. We laugh and spin until we collapse. He's on top again.

"So does this mean I win?" he murmurs, looking at me with a face that is much more serious than the question it just asked.

"This means you win."

Slowly, his face breaks into that goofy grin that I have grown to love in the last hour. "I always do in the end," he says, and I know exactly what he means. And for the second time tonight, he inches his face towards mine, sealing the deal in a perfect kiss- and this time, I let him.

I think I'll take that as a yes.


End file.
